Denise Konan appointed UH Manoa interim chancellor

HONOLULU — The appointment of Denise Konan as interim chancellor for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus was approved by the UH Board of Regents at its monthly meeting today.

"Denise Konan is a person of integrity, a scholar and teacher of the first rank, and a natural leader. Her collaborative style will bring the campus closer together, and she‘ll be a positive catalyst in leading Mānoa to more fully realize its considerable potential," said UH Interim President David McClain.

Currently a professor and chair of the UH Mānoa Department of Economics, Konan previously served for three years as interim assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs in the Mānoa Chancellor‘s Office. Included among her many accomplishments at UH Mānoa is her leadership in the preparation of the UH Mānoa 2003 Self-Study Report to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the successful WASC visit that subsequently ensued. Konan played a key leadership role in the revival of the campus‘ program review and renewal process and contributed importantly to the development of the UH Mānoa strategic plan.

"I am delighted to serve as the interim chancellor at Mānoa, and thank the Board for their vote of confidence," said Konan. "The support that I have received from our students, faculty, and others is a great honor. Together, we will work to advance Mānoa‘s strategic plan."

Konan has been on the faculty since 1993, specializing in international trade, applied microeconomics and computation economics. She is the author of an extensive number of commentaries, book chapters and articles appearing in refereed journals, and is a recognized and accomplished speaker at national and international conferences and meetings.

Konan has been a consultant for the World Bank, the Council of Foreign Relations, and various foreign and national governments and private companies. Her honors and awards include receipt of a Pacific Century Fellowship for Leadership and Public Service from the University of Hawaiʻi, College of Social Sciences‘ Excellence in Teaching Award, and numerous awards from the University of Colorado.

Konan holds a bachelor‘s degree in economics from Goshen College in Indiana, and master‘s and doctoral degrees in economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Konan‘s one-year appointment is effective August 1, 2005, at a salary of $254,016.